2 pioneers of blood donation lead by setting example

Our Correspondent

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Hoshiarpur, June 13

Two pioneers of blood donation in Hoshiarpur — Prof Bahadur Singh, who has donated blood for 58 times at the age of 58 and Dr Ajay Bagga, who has donated blood 80 times till the age of 60 — have made it the cause of their life.

Professor Bahadur Singh has been serving as lecturer of Pharmacy at Pandit Jagat Ram Government Polytechnic College, Hoshiarpur. Ajay Bagga has retired as Civil Surgeon from the Health Department.

On the World Blood Donor Day, both stand tall as a light house to guide the coming generations to donate blood.

In 1985, Dr Bagga joined as the Incharge of Blood Bank at the Civil Hospital, Hoshiarpur. People were feared to donate blood at that time. Dr Bagga took it as a challenge and following the principle of ‘Charity begins at home’ he came forward for the cause.

“To remove myths, associated with the blood donation, I put myself forward. We started organising blood donation camps at regular intervals at different places to encourage the people” said Dr Bagga.

“So far, I have donated blood 80 times and as my age is above the legal limit do donate blood, am continuing to spread awareness among people to donate blood,” added Dr Bagga, who’s presently the Patron of Punjab Chapter of Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and immunohaematology.

State award winner Prof Bahadur Singh first donated blood in 1982 when he was pursuing BPharma from Panjab University, Chandigarh. He said I donated blood to an accident victim who was seriously injured and admitted to PGIMER Chandigarh. The biggest motivation came when the person became well and came to our class to thank our teacher. The day went and blood donation became my life’s motive. By now I have donated blood 58 times and it still continues,” recalls Prof Bahadur.

In 1987 he launched Bhai Ghaniya Ji Mission Society, an NGO, dedicated to blood donation and later took eye donation and body donation to its ambit.

He said: “There’s no bigger good deal that saving anybody’s life by donating a few drops of blood.” and it creates a real ‘Blood Relation’.